Peter Groffman, from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York, points out that soils scientists have been warning about the … (a)   of the world’s soil for decades.

A single gram of healthy soil might contain 100 million bacteria, as well as other … (a)   s such as virusses and fungi, living amid decomposing plants and various minerals. 

A single gram of healthy soil might contain 100 million bacteria, as well as other microorganisms such as virusses and fungi, living amid … (a)    plants and various minerals. 

That means soils do not just grow our food, but are the source of nearly all our existing … (a)   s, and could be our best hope in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

That means soils do not just grow our food, but are the source of nearly all our existing antibiotics, and could be our best hope in the fight against antibiotic-… (a)   bacteria.

Soil is also an …........... ….............. climate change: as microorganisms within soil digest dead animals and plants, they lock in their carbon content, holding three times the amount of carbon as does the entire atmosphere.

(a)  

Soil is also an ally agaisnt climate change: as microorganisms within soil … (a)    dead animals and plants, they lock in their carbon content, holding three times the amount of carbon as does the entire atmosphere.

If the soil loses its ability to perform these functions, the …........... …........... could be in big trouble.

(a)  

In the wild, when plants grow they remove nutrients from the soil, but then when the plants die and decay these nutrients are returned directly to the soil.

(a)  

Humans tend not to return unsed parts of harvested crops directly to the soil to … (a)    it, meaning that the soil gradually become less fertile.

Humans tend not to return unsed parts of harvested crops directly to the soil to enrich it, meaning that the soil  (a)    become less fertile.

Humans tend not to return unsed parts of harvested crops directly to the soil to enrich it, meaning that the soil gradually become less … (a)  

In the past we …................ ….................... to get around the problem, such as regularly varying the types of crops grown, or leaving fields uncultivated for a season.

(a)  

In the past we developed strategies to ….............. …............. the problem, such as regularly varying the types of crops grown, or leaving fields uncultivated for a season.

(a)  

In the past we developed strategies to get around the problem, such as regularly varying the types of crops grown, or leaving fields … (a)   d for a season.

But the practices became inconvenient as populations grew and agriculture had to be run on more ….................... ….................s. 

(a)  

A solution ................. ......... the early 20th century with the Haber-Bosch process for manufacturing ammonium nitrate.

(a)  

Farmers have been putting this … (a)    fertiliser on their fields ever since. 

Farmers have been putting this synthetic … (a)   on their fields ever since. 

Chemical fertilisers can release polluting nitrous oxide into the atmosphere and … (a)   is often washed away with the rain, releasing nitrogen into rivers.

More recently, we have found that … (a)    use of fertiliesers hurts the soil itself, turning it acidic and salty, and degrading the soil they are supposed to nourish.

Most scientists don’t speak language that policy-makers can understand, and ….......... ….............

(a)  

For soils …... …....... …................, that may be too late.

(a)  

For soils on the brink, that may be too late. Several researchers are … (a)   for the immediate creation of protected zones for endagered soils.

One difficulty here is defining what these areas should conserve: areas where the greatest soil diversity is present? Or areas of unspoit soils that could acts as a future …................. …........ ….................?

(a)  

Whatever we do, if we want our soils to survive, we need to ….......... …................. now.

(a)